Washington Monument to open in August after 3-year closure

Originally scheduled to reopen this spring

With the Washington Monument in the background, cherry trees are in full bloom at the Tidal Basin April 1, 2019 in Washington, DC. The National Park Service said this year's cherry blossoms have reached peak bloom today. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON – One of our nation's capital's most recognizable landmarks is having its reopening delayed a few months.

Originally scheduled to reopen this spring, the Washington Monument will now reopen in August, according to the National Parks Service. An exact date will be announced at a later time.

Completion of the new security screening building for the monument has been delayed for mitigation of possibly contaminated soil in the construction area. The potentially contaminated soil is below the ground surface and poses no risk to public health. The soil in question was likely introduced in the 1880s as the monument was being completed, according to NPS.

The modernization of the monument’s elevator just needs to finish with final testing and certification of the safety systems.